250 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



axillary, elongated racemes, each flower subtended by a small, green bract. 

 Calyx four-lobed ; corolla rotate and also four-lobed, the lower lobe commonly 

 the narrowest. Stamens two, wide-spreading, attached to the base of the 

 upper lobe of the corolla on either side. Fruit a globose capsule, about 

 one-eighth of an inch high, slightly compressed. 



Frequent in brooks, ditches and swamps, Anticosti to Alaska, south 

 to Pennsylvania, Nebraska, New Mexico and California. Flowering from 

 spring until late sumnier. 



There are a number of other Wronicas or Speedwells, many of them 

 small, introduced weeds with inconspicuous flowers. The Alarsh or 

 Skullcap Speedwell (Veronica scutellata Linnaeus) has light- 

 blue flowers about the size of those of V . a m e r i c a n a , and linear or 

 linear-lanceolate, sessile leaves. The Common Speedwell or Gips\T\^eed 

 (Veronica officinalis Linnaeus) is hairy all over with oblong, oval 

 or obovate leaves and blue flowers in spikelike racemes from the axils of the 

 upper leaves. 



Culver's Root; Bowman's Root; Beaumont's Root 

 Lcptaudra viri^iiiiai (Linnaeus) Nuttall 



Plate 200 



A tall, stout, erect herb with smooth stems, branched only at the 

 inflorescence, 2 to 7 feet high. Leaves whorled, three to nine leaves at 

 a node or some of the upper ones opposite, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 

 long pointed at the apex, narrowed and short petioled at the base, the 

 margins finely sharp toothed, smooth on both sides, or slightly hairy beneath, 

 3 to 6 inches long. Flowers small and numerotis in dense spikes, 2 to 9 

 inches long, tcnninating the stem and branches of the inflorescence. Calyx 

 four-parted with pointed, ovate-lanceolate segments. Corolla tubular, 

 white or bluish, about one-sixth of an inch long, with four nearly equal 

 lobes which are about one-fourth as long as the tvibe of the corolla. Stamens 

 two, and like the style projecting beyond the flower. Fruit an ovoid- 

 oblong capsule, two to three times as long as the calyx. 



In moist woods, thickets and meadows, often along old roads, Ontario 

 to Manitoba, south to Massachusetts, Alabama and Texas. Flowering 

 from late in June until early September. 



